Gripper weaving machine with guide elements

ABSTRACT

A gripper weaving machine with a plurality of guiding devices( 28 ) for guiding gripper carrying rapiers ( 1,2 ). The guiding devices ( 28 ) have two rows of guiding elements ( 35,36 ) with two guiding surfaces ( 37,38 ) that are associated with the bottom side of the rapiers ( 1,2 ). The guiding elements ( 35,36 ) are oriented relative to the bottom side of the rapiers ( 1,2 ) such that they form, at the side facing the reed ( 13 ), obtuse angles (B,B′,C,C′) with the bottom side of the rapiers ( 1,2 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a gripper weaving machine comprising a gripperwhich can be moved into and out of the shed and mounted to a rapierassociated with guides which can be moved into and out of the shedthrough the warp sheet, and to guides for guiding a rapier.

2. Description of the Related Art

A gripper weaving machine of the above type is known from U.S. Pat. No.5,183,084. Guide elements mounted in two rows are used to guide therapier. The guide elements of the row facing the reed are mounted in aguide surface of the rapier. The guide elements of the row facing awayfrom the reed are hook-shaped and enclose a side edge of the rapier.Such hook-shaped guide elements increase the danger of causing ruptureof and/or damage to the warp threads when being moved into the shed andout again through the warp sheet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to so design a gripper weaving machineand in particular, its guide elements such that the danger of the guideelements damaging the warp threads is substantially reduced.

This problem is solved by two guide surfaces on the underside of therapier that are associated with the guide elements mounted in two rowswherein at least the segment of the guide elements passing through thewarp sheet subtends at obtuse angles relative to the underside of therapier at least in the vicinity of the rapier on the reed side.

As a result of the invention, the warp threads are stressed lower whenthe guide elements are moved into and out of the shed. This feature ismost advantageous for warp threads having knots or nubs or otherirregularities since the threads will slide along the guide elementswithout undue danger that they will snag on the guide elements.

Advantageously, and especially as regard to a maximally open shed, theguide elements will subtend at an obtuse angle on the side away from theshed relative to the warp sheet they have penetrated. As a result thereis further reduction in the danger that the nubs or knots will snag,especially during the withdrawing motion from the shed as during closingwhich might damage the warps.

Preferably the upper edges of all guide elements will be in theirpositions below the surface of the underside of the rapier. The upperedges of all guide elements may then guide the underside of the rapier.

In another embodiment, a guide structure is located at least in thevicinity of the end of the rapier where the gripper is present and isguided by the guide elements. In a further design the underside of therapier includes a guide structure at least in the vicinity of the end ofthe rapier where the gripper is located and is guided by the guideelements. In another design, a guidance part is mounted in the extensionof the rapier in the vicinity of the gripper and is guided by the guideelements. This guidance part may include a guide structure that isguided by the guide elements. A guide structure affixed to the rapierand/or a guide structure of the rapier may be used in the extension ofthe guide structure of the guide. As a result, the gripper and/or thesegment of the rapier in the region of the gripper may be guidedtransversely of the direction of motion of the rapier.

In the invention, guides to guide a rapier always includes at least twoguide elements of which the upper edges are located in one plane andwhich are associated with two mutually parallel guide surfaces of theunderside of the rapier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will be evident from inthe description below of the illustrative embodiments shown in thedrawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a gripper weaving machine with a pluralityof guides of the invention in a position wherein the guides cooperatewith the rapiers.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line II—II ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of FIG. 2 in the region of a rapier aperture.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view of FIG. 3 during the insertion of the guides into ashed,

FIG. 6 is a detailed front view in the direction of the arrow F6 in FIG.3.

FIG. 7 is a variation of the guide, having three guide elements, andcorresponding to the front view of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is another variant of a guide corresponding to the front view ofFIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a partially sectional, elevational view, similar to FIG. 3 ofan embodiment with the guides of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a partial elevational view in the direction of the arrow F10of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a partial elevational view similar to FIG. 3 of an embodimentwith guides corresponding to FIG. 6.

FIG. 12 is a top view of an embodiment similar to FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a partially sectional elevational view of an embodimentconfigured with the guides of FIG. 6, and

FIGS. 14 through 16 are views similar to FIG. 10 of another embodimentvariants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The gripper weaving machine shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 comprises tworapiers 1, 2. A feed gripper 3 is mounted at the end of the rapier 1 anda receiving gripper 4 is mounted at the end of the rapier 2. Thesegrippers are inserted in the filling direction A into the shed and thenare withdrawn. The rapier 1 driven a rapier drive device 5 moves thefeed gripper 3 together with the filling (weft thread) to be insertedfrom the filling feed side to the center of the shed. There thereceiving gripper 4, moved in a corresponding manner by the rapier 2driven a rapier drive device 6, grips the filling and moves it to theopposite side of the shed. The drive devices 5, 6 are respectivelymounted in side frames 7, 8 of the gripper weaving machine and includetoothed wheels 9, 10 driven by drive elements, wheels 9,10, cooperatingrespectively with the rapiers 1, 2. The rapiers 1, 2 are held in contactwith wheels 9,10 by guide fittings 11.

The gripper weaving machine also includes a batten 12 to which isaffixed a reed 13 which rests in the side frames 7 and 8. The batten 12is reciprocally driven by batten devices 14, 15. The batten drivedevices 14, 15 and the repier devices 5, 6 are preferably operatedsynchronously. The rapiers 1, 2 are guided in the region of the sideframes 7, 8 by stationary guides 16, 17.

As schematically shown by FIG. 2, the gripper weaving machine furtherincludes a shed forming device 18 which may be raised and lowered by ashed driving device (not shown in the drawings) and may be operatedsynchronously with the batten drive device 14, 15. FIG. 2 also shows twowarp sheets 19, 20 between which a shed 21 is formed and which receivesa filling thread. These warp sheets 19, 20 are formed by theshed-forming device 18, of which only two are shown and which are raisedand lowered according to a predetermined pattern.

The batten 12 includes a batten shaft 22 to which a contoured battensection 23 is affixed by screws 24. The reed 13 is affixed by fasteners25 to the contoured batten section 23. Furthermore an intermediatecontoured section 26 is affixed by screws 27 to the contoured battensection 23, and a plurality of guides 28 according to the invention areaffixed to this contoured intermediate section 26.

The individual guides 28 are affixed by a screw 29 passing through aretention fitting 30 of the guides 28 and screwed into a thread 31 inthe intermediate contoured section 26. The thread 31 runs at an angledeviating from the perpendicular of the intermediate contoured section26. The retention fitting 30 is provided with a slanted surface 32perpendicular to the thread 31 and supporting the head of the screw 29.

By the reciprocating motion of the batten 12, the plurality of theguides 28 are moved through the lower warp sheet 20 into and then out ofthe shed 21. In this process, the guides 28 move in a plane passingthrough the lower warp sheet 20 which itself runs perpendicularly to thefilling direction A.

FIG. 2 shows the position wherein the guides 28 have penetrated the shed21 due to the pivoting motion of the batten 12, the shed 21 at thisposition is at a maximally open position. In this position, the guides28 guide the underside of the rapiers 1, 2. Their guide edges are in asubstantially horizontal plane as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 2 andlocated underneath a beatup edge 33 of a fabric 34 against which theinserted fillings will be beaten by the reed as shown by the dashedlines at the left in FIG. 2.

As shown on a larger scale in FIGS. 3 and 4, the guides 28 include twodifferent guide elements 35, 36 generally parallel but diverging overtheir full lengths, and mounted on the retention fitting 30. Theplurality of the guide elements 35 and the plurality of the guideelements 36 are each mounted in a row running in the longitudinaldirection of the batten 12 and hence in the direction of motion of therapiers 1, 2. The row of guide elements 35 terminate at ends guiding theunderside of the rapiers 1, 2 along a guide surface 37 facing the reed13. The row of guide elements 36 guides the underside of the rapiers 1,2 along an adjacent guide surface 38 facing away from the reed 13.Accordingly, the row of guide elements 35 is located between the row ofguide elements 36 and the reed 13. As shown in FIG. 6, each guideelement 35 is offset relative to a guide element 36 in the fillingdirection A at the retention fitting 30.

As shown in FIG. 4, which shows in enlarged detail the position of theguides 28 having guide elements 35 and 36 in the position described inrelation to FIG. 2, the bar-shaped or rod-shaped guide elements 35 and36 project toward the underside of the rapiers 1, 2 such that theysubtend guide surface 37 at their ends in each case at obtuse angles B,B′ and C, C′ of about 120 to 150°. The essentially rectilinear segmentsof the guide elements 35, 36 which penetrate through the warp sheet 20into the shed 21 and which in the filling direction A are thinner thanin a transverse direction of the same, and, at least in the vicinity ofthe rapiers 1,2, subtend these angles B, B′ and C, C′, by their sideedges facing the reed 13. These side edges being located in a planeperpendicular to the filling direction A, and to the underside of therapiers 1, 2. In the shown embodiment, the angles B and B, and C and C′are approximately equal. The guide elements 35, 36 slanting toward thereed 13 due to of their rounded upper edges 40, 41 guide the guidesurfaces 37, 38 of the rapiers 1, 2, the latter being located in asubstantially horizontal plane, as a result of which the rapiers 1, 2are supported substantially horizontally. As further shown by FIG. 4,the guide elements 35, 36 in this preferred embodiment include asubstantially straight segment over the part of the length penetratingthe shed 21.

As further shown by FIG. 4, the guide elements 35, 36 are arrayed insuch manner that, on the side away from the reed 13, they subtend obtuseangles D, D′ and E, E′ relative to the threads of the warp sheet 20between their side faces and the warp sheet 20. As shown in FIG. 5, theside faces of the guide elements 35, 36 also subtend obtuse angles F, F′and G, G′ on the side away from the reed 13 relative to the warp sheet20, while the guide elements 35, 36 move into or out of the opening andclosing shed 21 respectively. As shown by FIGS. 4 and 5, the angles D,D′, the angles E, E′, the angles F, F′ and the angles G, G′ aresubstantially all of the same magnitude.

In the position of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, wherein the guides 28 cooperatewith the rapier 1, 2, the upper edges 40, 41 of the guide elements 35,36 will guide the underside either of the rapier 1, 2. It follows thatthe upper edges of the guide elements 35, 36 in all other positions ofthese guide elements 35, 36 will be located underneath the plane definedby the underside of the rapiers 1, 2.

The rapiers 1, 2 are provided with apertures 39 (shown in FIGS. 4 and10) cooperating with the teeth of the wheels 9, 10. As shown in FIG. 3,these apertures 39 are located substantially at the center of therapiers 1, 2. The guide elements 35, 36 are arrayed in such manner thatthey will not guide the rapiers 1, 2 in the region of these aperturesand accordingly, no wear by the guide elements 35, 36 will take place inthe region of said apertures.

As previously mentioned and as may be seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, theupper edges of the guide elements 35, 36 are rounded to reduce thedanger of damaging the rapiers 1, 2 or the warps of the warp sheet 20.

Because the underside of the rapiers 1, 2 runs on the upper edges 40, 41of the guide elements 35, 36, the side edges of the guide elements 35,36 subtend with these upper edges 40, 41 on the side facing the reed 13at the same obtuse angles B, B′ and C, C′. The upper edges 40, 41 of theguide elements run in a plane which is perpendicular to the fillingdirection A.

As shown by FIG. 7, two guide elements 35 and one guide element 36 areused for each retention fitting 30. The guide element 36 is mountedbetween the two guide elements 35.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the guide elements 35 and 36 are mountedin a common plane which is perpendicular to the filling direction A, asa result of which the guide elements 35 and 36 can be inserted betweenthe warps of the warp sheet 20 into the shed 21. The guide elements 35and 36 are of such length that the retention fitting 30 and the site atwhich the two guide elements 35,36 are joined remain underneath thelower guide warp sheet 20, whereby a warp that is to be gripped betweenthe two guide elements 35, 36 can always reach the warp sheet 20 duringshed formation.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a guide structure 42 is mounted in theregion of the ends of the rapiers 1, 2 where the grippers 3, 4 arelocated at each underside of these rapiers 1, 2 and is guided betweenthe guide elements 35 and 36. This features precludes the rapiers 1, 2from moving in the transverse direction M and consequently they cannotdeviate toward or away from the reed 13. The guide structure 42 in thisembodiment has a triangular cross-section.

A guide structure 43 which is present in the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and12 in the region of the end of the rapiers 1, 2 where the grippers 3, 4are located at the underside of these rapiers 1, 2, is guided betweenthe guide elements 35, 36. In this embodiment the guide structure 43 isin each case integral with the rapiers 1, 2. Illustratively, the, guidestructure 43 projects itself with a portion 43A beyond the rapiers 1, 2.The guide structure 43 of this embodiment has a trapezoidalcross-section.

The guide structure 43 is located underneath the underside of therapiers 1, 2 and is thereby also underneath the plane subtended by theupper edges 40, 41 of the guide elements 35, 36. Because in thisembodiment the guide structure 43 extends by its front part 43A beyondthe end of the rapiers 1, 2, it is able to move warps that snag on oneof the upper edges 41, 42 of the guide elements 35, 36 from these upperedges 40, 41 before these upper edges are within reach of the undersideof the rapiers 1, 2. FIG. 11 clearly shows that the guide structure 43per se does not touch the upper edges 40, 41 of the guide elements 35,36.

A guidance part 44 is mounted in the extension of the rapiers 1, 2 inthe region of the grippers 3, 4 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and14. The underside of the guidance part 44 being flush with the undersideof the rapiers 1, 2, as a result of which this part's underside isguided by the guide elements 35, 36. This guidance part 44 is providedwith a downward-projecting guide structure 45 that is guided between theguide elements 35, 36. The guide structure 45 is integral with theguidance part 44. In this embodiment the guide structure 45 is mountedat a distance from the front end of the guidance part 44 and as aresult, the grippers 3, 4 can be inserted into the shed 21, in a mannersimilar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,084, readily before the guides 28 reachtheir end position as shown in FIG. 13. The cross-section of the guidestructure 45 is rectangular.

At the ends of the rapiers 1, 2, a guidance part 44 is provided with aguide structure 45 in the embodiment of FIG. 15 also corresponding tothat of FIGS. 13 and 14. A guide structure 47 is present in theextension of the guide structure 45 at the rapiers 1, 2. This designincludes a safety space in the longitudinal direction between the guidestructure 45 of the guidance part 44 and the guide structure 47 of therapiers 1, 2.

A guidance part 44 is present in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 16and comprises a guide structure 48. Each rapier 1,2 is provided with oneguide structure 49 in the extension of the guide structure 48. The guidestructures 49 directly adjoin the guide structure 48 of the guidanceparts 44. The guide structure 48 projects by a part 48A beyond the frontedge of the guidance parts 44. This design therefore offers the sameadvantages already described as regard to the guide structure 43 withits front part 43A as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

The cross-sections of the guide structures 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 49 may betriangular, rectangular or trapezoidal or other shape. These guidestructures are designed in such a way that they can be guided betweenthe guide elements 35 and 36 so that they preclude the rapiers 1,2 frommoving to or from the reed 13.

Practically all known grippers may be used as grippers 3, 4, forinstance those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,174 or 4,860,800.

The invention is not restricted to the shown and described illustrativeembodiments. In particular, modifications and/or combinations within theknowledge of persons skilled in the art may be undertaken withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention defined by the attachedclaims. In particular the invention may also may be applied to gripperweaving machines having only one gripper driven by one rapier andmoving, in this case between the side of filling insertion and theopposite side of the machine.

The present invention is by no means restricted to the above-describedpreferred embodiments, but covers all variations that might beimplemented by using equivalent functional elements or devices thatwould be apparent to a person skilled in the art, or modifications thatfall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A gripper weaving machine comprising at least onegripper (3, 4) movable into and out of a shed and mounted on a rapier(1, 2) having an underside and associated guide elements (35, 36) whichare movable through a warp sheet (20) into and out of the shed (21),wherein the guide elements (35, 36) are arranged in two rows and areassociated with two guide surfaces (37, 38) positioned at the undersideof the rapier (1, 2), at least a portion of the guide elements (35, 36)penetrating the warp sheet (20) when the portion of the guide elementsmoves into the warp sheet, the guide elements (35, 36) facing a reed(13) and forming at least in the vicinity of the rapier (1, 2) obtuseangles (B, B′, C, C′) with the underside of the rapier (1, 2); andwherein all of the guide elements extend toward the reed and form theobtuse angles.
 2. The gripper weaving machine as claimed in claim 1,said guide elements including a side facing toward and a side facingaway from the reed, and wherein the side facing away from the reed (13)forms an obtuse angle (E, E′, D, D′) with the warp sheet (20) that ispenetrated by the guide elements (35, 36).
 3. The gripper weavingmachine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide elements (35, 36) areinclined relative to the reed (13).
 4. The gripper weaving machine asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the guide elements (35, 36) are associatedat their upper edges (40, 41) with the underside of the rapier (1, 2).5. The gripper weaving machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein theunderside of the rapier (1, 2) is guided by the upper edges (40, 41) ofthe guide elements (35, 36) in a substantially horizontal plane locatedbelow a beatup edge (33) of a fabric (34).
 6. The gripper weavingmachine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rapier (1, 2) has,approximately at its center, apertures (39) and the guide surfaces (37,38) are provided one on each side of the apertures.
 7. The gripperweaving machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guidance part (44) ispresent in an extension at an end of the rapier (1, 2) in the vicinityof the gripper (3, 4) and is guided by the guide elements (35, 36). 8.The gripper weaving machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the guidancepart (44) is configured with a guide structure (45, 48) which is guidedtransversely to the direction of motion of the rapier (1, 2) by theguide elements (35, 36).
 9. The gripper weaving machine as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the gripper (3, 4) includes an end region where thegripper (3,4) is mounted, and the rapier (1, 2) is configured with aguide structure (42, 43, 47, 49) guided transversely to the direction ofmotion of the rapier (1, 2) by the guide elements (35, 36).
 10. Thegripper weaving machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guideelements (35, 36) include side edges and upper edges (40, 41); and afirst guide structure (42, 43, 47, 49) of the rapier (1, 2) and/or asecond guide structure (45, 48) of a guidance part (44) is guidedbetween the upper edges (40, 41) of the guide elements (35, 36) facingthe underside of the rapier (1, 2) at the side edges of the guideelements.
 11. The gripper weaving machine as claimed in claim 1, whereina guide structure (43) of the rapier (1, 2) or a guide structure (48) ofa guidance part (44) project beyond the end of the rapier (1, 2) orbeyond the end of the guidance part (44).
 12. A guide for guiding aplanar underside of a rapier in a rapier weaving machine, the guidecomprising: a retention fitting (30) securable on a batten of a weavingmachine; a pair of guide elements (35, 36) mounted on and extendingupwardly away from said retention fitting (30) and tilted towards a samedirection away from the retention fitting, the guide elements divergingand offset relative to each other over their full lengths andterminating at respective upper edges (40, 41); and the upper edges (40,41) terminating at a common plane such that said guide elements (35, 36)subtend said plane at obtuse angles (B, B′, C, C′) at their respectiveupper edges (40, 41), such that the upper edges (40, 41) define planarguide surfaces for engaging a planar underside of a rapier of a weavingmachine.
 13. The guide as claimed in claim 12, wherein said obtuseangles are about 120 to 150 degrees.
 14. The guide is claimed in claim12 wherein said obtuse angles are equal.
 15. A gripper weaving machinecomprising at least one gripper (3, 4) movable into and out of a shedand mounted on a rapier (1, 2) having an underside and associated guideelements (35, 36) which are movable through a warp sheet (20) into andout of the shed (21), wherein the guide elements (35, 36) are generallyparallel and diverging and offset relative to each other to terminate atrespective upper edges (40, 41), the guide elements (35, 36) arranged intwo rows and are associated with two guide surfaces (37, 38) positionedat the underside of the rapier (1, 2), at least a portion of the guideelements (35, 36) penetrating the warp sheet (20) when the portion ofthe guide elements moves into the warp sheet, the upper edges (40, 41)intersecting a common plane such that the guide elements (35, 36) extendtoward and face a reed (13) and forming at least in the vicinity of therapier (1, 2) obtuse angles (B, B′, C, C′) with the underside of therapier (1, 2); and wherein all of the guide elements extend toward thereed and form the obtuse angles.
 16. The gripper weaving machine asclaimed in claim 15, said guide elements including a side facing towardand a side facing away from the reed, and wherein the side facing awayfrom the reed (13) forms an obtuse angle (E, E′, D, D′) with the warpsheet (20) that is penetrated by the guide elements (35, 36).